LETTERS

THE HARTFORD COURANT

Neighborhood Residents:

Speak Monday On Plan

There's a chance for the residents and stakeholders of the North and Oak streets neighborhood to participate in the forming of public policy that will greatly improve their neighborhood. On Monday, in the basement of St. Ann Church, the North/Oak Streets Neighborhood Revitalization Zone Strategic Planning Committee will present the final draft of its plan to the neighborhood. If you live in the neighborhood, or are a stakeholder there, it is important that you be at this meeting. At this meeting, we will outline the issues of the plan and listen to suggestions for its improvement.

As members of NRZ's public safety committee, we put in an incredible amount of time and effort over the past year to help draft the plan. The work in our committee, as well as the other committees, required close cooperation with all the neighborhood's stakeholders.

This committee has been especially impressed and pleased with the cooperation, support and dedication of the New Britain police officers assigned to the NRZ's area. Through effective teamwork and leadership, their successful efforts to lower crime in the neighborhood are indicative of their commitment to the neighborhood. We know we can rely on them to continue to reduce crime through the implementation of our NRZ strategic plan. The community policing that we have now is vital to our plan and offers a cost-effective way to make our community safer because residents, business owners and others work with local police officers to eliminate crime in the neighborhood. Once the NRZ's plan is passed and we begin to fully implement it, we should see the effects that a strong, self-sufficient neighborhood can have on further deterring crime.

It is critical that the residents and stakeholders in the neighborhood are present at this meeting to make their feelings and opinions known about the strategic plan -- this plan concerns your neighborhood. Please come prepared to speak your mind, ask questions and get involved with the various NRZ committees to renew and strengthen your neighborhood.

Michael Rizzo

Michael Costanzo

Silvia Cruz

The writers are members of the North/Oak Streets NRZ Public Safety Committee.

Speculation About

Political Ties Wrong

Concerning the Feb. 13 article "Independent Ticket in November?" the only truths it contained about me are that I am a Republican and my attempts to run for city office have been unsuccessful to date.

I refute any implied association with any proposed independent ticket, and I refute that the matter was ever discussed with any "political insiders," whoever they may be.

It is all the more inconceivable since these "sources" attempt to connect me with Richard Hine, the former city ethics board chairman. In his capacity as such, he became the subject of a Freedom of Information complaint I filed due to his handling of an ethics complaint against the school board.

In a letter to The Courant, I publicly charged Mr. Hine, an assistant attorney general, and the state FOI [Freedom of Information] hearing officer, Mary Schwind, with conspiring to deny me a fair hearing. I do not retreat from that charge, and extend it to the entire FOI board.

Running on any ticket with Mr. Hine, the former ethics board chairman, would be a repudiation of everything that I believe is American and a repudiation of those school board members, Democrats and Republicans alike, who showed courage, resolve and integrity all last year.

As to these sources, I challenge them to reveal themselves. Until then, the idea should be considered for what it is: worse than bad science fiction.

Patrick J. Cloutier

New Britain

Rejected Candidate

Wants To Be Heard

From a slate that included lifelong residents of Plainville, Johanna Petit Chapman and Ivan Wood, a former Plainville High School principal, I won the Republican nomination for a vacancy on the board of education. It was an honor to be selected from among these candidates. Also, I would have been the first Puerto Rican to serve Plainville in this post.

However, on Feb. 7 the council rejected my appointment. What has perplexed our family is the reason cited for the decision. While acknowledging my right to home school, it was stated that my doing so was a reflection of the lack of trust for the school system. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

In the past, the town council has interviewed candidates when circumstances warranted further inquiry. Yet, I was not afforded the same opportunity.

Presently, our oldest child attends Plainville High School. Our youngest child will attend the middle school in the fall. Although home school is considered private school, our relationship with the school system has always been ongoing. We abide by state-recommended guidelines and procedures.

The productive relationship that we have with the teachers, administrators and staff of the Plainville community school system is in itself the best character witness.

Please attend today's meeting of the town council and know our true story. We also encourage those who have opposed my nomination to attend.